Lionel Messi may have lifted a second Copa America trophy on Sunday evening, but it came at the cost of a serious injury. A challenge toward the end of the first half looked minuscule. Yet, replays showed a Colombian defender collided with Messi’s right ankle to block a cross. While Messi tried to continue, he slipped on the wet grass and aggravated the injury. He eventually needed a substitution. Messi’s tears helped indicate the severity of the injury, as did cameras spotting the massive swelling on Messi’s ankle.

The original plan before the injury was to have Messi return to action with his club, Inter Miami, soon after the Copa America. The Major League Soccer season has rolled on throughout the Copa America. Inter Miami has played five games without its talisman, collecting an impressive four wins for 12 points in that span. As a result, Inter Miami remains near the top of the MLS table. However, the onus is soon turning to the Leagues Cup, the competition Messi made his Miami debut in last season.

As of press time, there have been no further updates regarding the severity of Messi’s ankle injury. Based on his emotions, it looks serious. Granted, some of the tears Messi shed came from the moment in which it occurred. The Copa America Final could have been Messi’s last game with Argentina, it was just not as formal as Angel Di Maria’s sign-off from the national team. The Argentine has said he is not committing to the World Cup 2026, but the door remains open should he remain healthy.

Prioritizing health puts Messi on the questionable list for Leagues Cup after injury

Remaining healthy would mean more time off for Messi. He would have to nurse the ankle injury back to full health to not exacerbate the injury for what remains of his future. That puts his status for the Leagues Cup under the microscope. The month-long competition starts in less than two weeks, and Inter Miami will be one of the driving forces for viewership. Should Lionel Messi be absent, fans will not be as inclined to watch.

Take the 2023 Leagues Cup as an example. Games involving Lionel Messi and Inter Miami did exceedingly well on both MLS Season Pass and Spanish-language TV. Univision pulled 1.7 million viewers for Messi’s game against Liga MX side Cruz Azul. Games not involving Messi had comparatively low audiences. One TV ratings reporter estimated 500,000 viewers per game for Inter Miami games in the 2023 Leagues Cup.

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The 2024 Leagues Cup does not have the celebratory nature of the debut tournament from 2023. By some accounts, it must live up to the expectations of the Copa America and Euros, major tournaments that just passed. Soccer fans may be tapped out of watching these sorts of soccer games, especially if Lionel Messi is inactive.

For Apple, the Messi injury presents a debacle for the Leagues Cup against the MLS season. If Messi returns for the Leagues Cup, Apple benefits with strong viewership interest. The two-time Copa America champion certainly has a nice ring to it for promotional material. Still, it runs the risk of injury that could rule him out for the MLS season, and Inter Miami figures to play in the MLS Cup Playoffs this fall. If he does wait to come back and fully recuperate, Messi is more likely to play in more games during the run-in to the season’s close.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.

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